94 

ID4H7I 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


DEDICATED 
TO  THOSE  WHO, 

IN   SEARCH   OF   HEALTH,  WEALTH   OR   RECREATION, 
SEEK    INFORMATION 

REGARDING 

"THE   QUEEN   CITY   OF  THE  PLAINS," 
THE   METROPOLIS  OF  THE  JIOCKY  MOUNTAIN    REGION. 


--— * 


,  ©olopado, 


TI?e   Queer;   City   of  tlpe 


|(j|HO,  among  those  rough,  and  in  many  instances, 
I  ragged  miners,  and  adventurers,  who  built  their 
'~V~«''  shanties  around  that  of  General  Larimer  at 
junction  of  Cherry  Creek  and  the  Platte  river,  in  the 
the  fall  of  1858,  could  have  imagined  that  the  year 
1890  would  see  surrounding  that  spot  one  of  the 
handsomest,  busiest  and  richest  cities  of  the  Union? 
We  will  venture  to  say  that  the  most  sanguine  among 
them  would  have  laughed  in  the  face  of  any  one  who 
would  have  had  the  audacity  to  prophesy  such  a  thing. 
And  yet,  had  such  a  prophecy  been  made,  how  true  would 
have  been  its  fulfillment.  Yes,  such  has  been  the  history 
of  the  now  famous  city  of  Denver.  In  October  of 
the  year  1858,  General  Larimer  built  a  log  hut  on  the  east 
bank  of  Cherry  Creek  near  its  confluence  with  the  Platte 
river.  Soon  a  few  straggling  huts  surrounded  him,  and 
the  town  grew  to  quite  a  settlement  of  miners,  who 
panned  the  sands  of  the  creek  and  river  for  what  gold 
they  could  obtain.  Larimer  christened  the  new  town  St. 
Charles,  but  soon  after,,  owing  to  the  rivalry  of  a  settle- 
ment across  the  river,  the  place  changed  hands.  (The 
first  recorded  real  estate  transaction  in  the  history  of  the 


city).  Then  the  two  towns  were  united  in  1860  under 
one  name,  that  of  Denver,  given  in  honor  of  General  J. 
W.  Denver,  at  that  time  Governor  of  Kansas.  From  this 
the  town  grew  slowly  until  the  Leadville  excitement  be- 
gan in  1879,  then  she  made  some  wonderful  strides. 
From  that  time  there  has  been  a  fluctuating  growth,  now 
fast,  now  slow,  but  always  in  a  progressive  direction.  In 
1885  began  the  most  prosperous  season  Denver  has  ever 
known,  and  the  last  five  years  have  shown  a  more  rapid 
and  solid  growth  than  any  city  in  the  country,  until  to- 
day, in  1890,  Denver  has  a  population  of  150,000,  and  is 
a  city  of  wide  and  beautiful  streets,  elegant  residences. 
and  magnificent  public  and  business  buildings. 

The  question  naturally  arises  in  view  of  the  forego- 
ing statements,  as  to  what  makes  and  keeps  up  such  a 
city  as  Denver;  what  will  be  her  future  support,  and  what 
resources  has  she?  To  answer  these  questions  we  will 
devote  a  few  pages  to  a  resume  of  the  resources  of  the 
State  of  Colorado,  and  show  what  has  been  their  growth, 
for  in  whatsoever  Colorado  is  rich,  so  is  Denver,  she 
being  the  capital  and  metropolis  of  the  State. 


View  on  Sixteenth  Street,  from  Arapahoe  Street. 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


Industries. 

The  mining  of  the  precious  ores  has  been  and  always 
will  be,  the  chief  wealth  of  Colorado.  Since  the  first 
striking  of  ore  in  Clear  Creek,  there  has  been  a  wonderful 
increase  of  mines  all  over  the  State.  Leadville  became 
the  most  famous  milling  camp  in  the  world,  and  since 
that  time  Aspen,  Ouray,  Telluride,  Silvertou,  Durango, 
Red  Cliff,  Silver  Cliff,  and 'many  others  have  come  to  the 


front  with  wonderful  rapidity,  until  to-day  Colorado^ 
stands  at  the  head  of  the  gold  and  silver  producing  sec- 
tions of  the  country. 

The  past  year  has  shown  a  production  of  precious  ores 
exceeding  in  value  135,000,000.  The  sources  from  which 
this  production  was  obtained  are  the  smelters,  the  mint 
and  the  ore  buyers  who  shipped  out  of  the  State.  The 
following  figures  show  the  amounts  from  each  source: 


SMELTER. 

GOLD,  ozs.  ©$20.67.  SILVER,  ozs.®  930. 

LEAD,  @  J  3.80. 

COPPER, 

@I2C. 

•  •     r^        TV^fi  • 

82,001  84 
15.792  57 
39.748-00 
ig.nr  oo 
10,600  oo 
4,223  oo 
5-677  oo 
2,886  oo 
5.210  oo 
1,859  oo 
4.43°  oo 

6.096,600 
3,319,547 
3,367,41-' 

2,318.009 
1  ,600,000 

1,182,345 

2  ,  2O4  ,  2oS 

2,312,499 

1,187,106 

525,568 
683,775 

33,493.341 
19,6,; 

2.966.6*6 

"l.4oS.56« 

Boston  and  Colorado  Smelting  and  Refining  Company    
Philadelphia  Smelting  Company    
Colorado  Smelting  and  Refining  Company  

16,.;,. 
11,250,000 
5,300,000 
18,475,060 
21,346,307 
8,868,000 
5,602,909 
2,680,768 

Pueulo  .->meltni£,  anci  Kenning  ^ompa   y 

American  Smelting  Company  

Manville  Smelting  Company   
San  Juan  Smelting  Company  

256  .  ooo 


191.538  41     i         24,797,069  oo 

7,5OO  OO       ;                      600,000  OO 

62,922  OO     :                   16,173  oo 

142,986,720 
1,000,000 

5,679,010 
1,000,00* 

Mint  Deposits   

Total  Quantity  

261,960  41 

25,413,242                 143,986,720 

6,679,010 

Total  Value    

$      5,414,721  67 

$    23,634,31506        J      5,471,49536        $ 

801,481    20 

GRAND  TOTAL,  $35,322,013.29. 

DENVER,     COLORADO. 


Although  to-day  the  milling  of  precious  ores  is  the 
greatest  source  of  wealth  in  Colorado,  yet  she  has  other 
mineral  resources  of  vast  and  growing  importance.  The 
coal  fields  of  the  State,  it  has  been  estimated,  cover  an 
area  of  more  than  40,000  square  miles  ;  an  area  as  large 
as  that  of  the  whole  State  of  Pennsylvania.  These  fields 
comprise  both  anthracite  and  bituminous  coal,  and  of  the 
very  finest  quality.  Coal  mining  is  yet  in  its  infancy. 
The  last  year  saw  between  two  and  one-half  and  three 
million  tons  taken  from  the  earth,  which  at  an  average  of 
f  2  per  ton  (the  price  paid  at  the  mines  on  board  of  the 
cars  |,  reaches  a  value  of  between  f  5,000,000  and  $6,000,000. 
The  best  known  and  most  extensively  worked  mines  are 
located  in  Boulder  and  Las  Auimas  counties,  while  large 
veins  and  strata  are  found  in  Fremont,  Garfield,  Guntii- 
son,  La  Plata,  and  Huerfano,  and  smaller  and  less  devel- 
oped properties  exist  in  Bent,  Routt,  Grand,  Elbert,  Weld 
and  Pitkin  counties.  The  veins  of  bituminous  coal 
average  about  five  feet  in  thickness,  and  are  of  a  bright, 
shining  black.  Semi-bituminous  veins  are,  as  a  rule,  not 
so  thick  as  bituminous  or  anthracite,  and  are  lighter  in 
color.  The  lignite  coal  seems  to  be  peculiar  to  the  plains 
districts,  and  is  considered  among  the  finest  in  the  market. 
It  is  if  anything  less  dense,  and  contains  more  moisture 
than  other  bituminous  coals.  The  anthracite  fields, 
although  existing  in  wide  ranges  of  locality,  are  at  present 
worked  less  than  anv  others. 


©fficial  5tatis:i:=. 

The  following  are  the  official  statistics  of  coal  produced 
in  this  State  for  the  last  twelve  years: 

YEAR.  TONS. 

1878  200,630 

1879  322,732 

1880 375,000 


882 

1,061,479 

881 

1,220,593 

884 

1,130,024 

88s 

1,39^,796 

886                      

i,  4tf>,  211 

S8? 

1,791,735 

888                             

2,185,47- 

889  

2,500,000 

The  average  price  paid  to  miners  throughout  the  State 
is  71  cents  per  ton  of  2,000  pounds  for  mining  and  tim- 
bering their  workings.  The  area  of  coal-bearing  sections 
in  the  State  is  now  said  to  exceed,  somewhat,  26,000,000- 
acres. 

The  coke  production  for  last  year,  from  Crested  Butte 
and  El  Moro  ovens,  was  116,500  tons. 

The  iron  fields  of  Colorado  are  only  equalled  in 
extent  by  those  of  precious  metals.  As  yet  but  compar- 
atively little  has  been  done  in  the  way  of  development, 
as  there  is  so  small  a  local  demand  for  the  ore.  How- 
ever, there  is  now  in  operation  in  the  State  the  largest 
iron  working  company  west  of  the  Missouri,  manufactur- 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


ing  pig  iron,  steel  rails,  sewer  pipe,  bridge  material, 
nails,  etc.  This  company — The  Colorado  Coal  and  Iron 
Company — own  and  work  some  of  the  richest  mines. 
The  analysis  of  the  ore  from  Calumet  mine  gives  an  idea 
of  the  quality: 


[  Iron  6v2S 


Silica 7.04  per  cent. 

Alumina 1.90  per  cent. 

Peroxide  of  iron 59.76  per  cent. ), 

Protoxide  of  iron 26.88  per  cent,  j 

Bisulphide  of  iron 1.14  per  cent.      Sul.  0.61. 

Urae 1.59  per  cent. 

Magnesia 1. 70  per  cent. 

Phosphoric  acid 0.016  per  cent. 

Titanic  acid trace 


Total 100.026 

Lead,  zinc,  copper  and  other  metals  are  produced  in 
paying  quantities  all  over  the  State,  while  limestone, 
marble,  granite,  red  and  brown .  sandstone  are  found  in 
unlimited  quantities  and  of  the  finest  qualities. 

Tne  ©i!  fields. 

One  of  Colorado's  youngest,  though  by  no  means 
smallest  industries,  is  found  in  her  oil  fields.  Within  the 
last  two  years  the  oil  wells  of  Fremont  county  have  been 
developed  until  to-day  they  supply  not  only  Colorado 
with  oil,  but  also  Utah,  New  Mexico,  Wyoming  and 
Montana.  There  are  several  companies  in  operation,  the 
largest  shipping  about  1,000  barrels  daily. 

Trie  Cattle  Business. 

All  departments  of  stock  raising  have  had  a  prosper- 
ous year  through  1889.  Cattle  raising  has  advanced 
materially.  A  few  years  ago  the  cattle  business  was  con- 


fined to  running  herds  on  ranges  of  native  and  Texan 
stock.  To-day  it  has  greatly  changed.  With  the  open- 
ing up  of  agricultural  lands,  there  has  been  more  atten- 
tion giver,  to  fine  breeds  of  cattle,  until  in  1890  Colorado 
can  show  some  of  the  finest  herds  of  fine  bred  cattle  in 
the  west.  1890  finds  2,500,000  head  of  the  best  breed  of 
cattle  in  the  farms  and  ranges  throughout  the  State, 
reachiuga  valuation  of  $25,200,725.  It  has  been  estimated 
that  the  number  of  cattle  killed  for  shipment  and  home 
consumption  in  1889,  was  210,000.  The  revenue  from 
this  source  alone  was  $3,500,000.  Add  to  this  the  dairy 
product  and  the  value  of  the  hides  and  live  cattle  shipped 
away,  and  some  idea  can  be  gained  of  what  the  Colorado 
cattle  business  is  to-day,  and  it  is  still  in  its  infancy.  The 
day  will  come  when  Denver  will  be  the  market  of  the 
vast  West  for  dressed  beef,  canned  beef  and  all  other 
products  of  the  bovine.  The  present  status  of  the  cattle 
trade  is  altogether  satisfactory  and  the  future  is  full  of 
grand  possibilities. 


Sheep  and  'Wool. 


The  sheep  and  wool  growing  industry  has  grown  up  in 
Colorado  to  its  present  proportions  in  the  past  fifteen 
years.  Prior  to  that  the  flocks  of  the  State  were  few  and 
of  diminutive  size.  In  1870  there  were  but  three  flocks 
of  fine  wooled  sheep  where  there  are  now  five  hundred 
and  upwards.  The  industry  that  to-day  represents  thir- 
teen millions  of  wealth  dates  from  the  introduction  of 
the  railroads  in  1869.  Possibly  no  other  pastoral  industry 
has  accumulated  wealth  so  rapidly  as  has  that  of  sheep 
and  wool. 


STATE    CAPITOL    BUILDING.  DENVER,  COLORADO 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


^(gri  culture. 


It  has  often  been  said  that  Colorado  has  no  farms  nor 
farmers.  However  true  this  may  have  been  in  the  past, 
it  is  far  from  the  truth  to-day.  The  fact  is  that  thous- 
ands on  thousands  of  acres  of  what  was  supposed  to  be 
arid  land,  have,  by  the  introduction  of  irrigating  canals, 
become  rich  and  productive  farms.  No  soil  in  the  world 
exceeds  in  richness  the  soil  of  the  plains  and  valley's  of 
Colorado,  and  what  was  once  considered  the  Great  Amer- 
ican Desert,  is  now  covered  with  waving  fields  of  grain, 
rich  garden  tracts  and  flourishing  orchards  and  vineyards. 
The  wheat,  oats  and  barley  of  Colorado  have  no  equals 
in  the  vast  territory  of  the  United  States.  The  kernels 
are  more  plump  and  heavy,  while  the  flour  produced  is 
of  the  finest  quality.  Fruit  raising  is  yet  in  its  infancy, 
but  the  Arkansas,  San  Luis,  Poudre  and  Grand  River 
Valleys,  can  show  some  of  the  finest  young  orchards  of 
apples,  pears,  peaches,  plums  and  apricots  to  be  found  in 
the  country.  The  orchards  in  the  Poudre  and  Arkansas 
Valleys  are  the  most  advanced.  Colorado  fruit  is  far 
superior  to  that  raised  in  California,  being  more  juicy  and 
of  much  better  flavor.  The  vineyards  of  the  Arkansas 
Valley  are  the  pride  of  the  State.  Grapes  of  all  varie- 
ties are  raised  and  grow  as  luxuriantly  as  in  California, 
and  far  exceed  those  varieties  in  flavor.  As  yet  no  wines 
are  manufactured,  owing  to  the  great  local  demand 
for  fresh  fruit. 

One  of  the  most  productive  crops  in  the  State  is 
alfalfa,  a  very  nutritious  grass,  which  grows  luxuriantly 


and  produces  from  three  to  four  crops  a  year.  The 
I'reuch  and  Spanish  name  is  lucerne,  while  it  has  been 
called  for  many  years  in  the  south-west,  Chilian  or  Cali- 
fornia clover.  Its  roots  strike  very  deep  for  water,  and 
is  thus  especially  adapted  to  arid  countries.  It  often 
yields  as  high  as  $80  per  acre.  All  other  varieties  of 
grass  are  grown  with  success,  but  alfalfa  is  the  best  pay- 
ing crop.  Vegetables  of  all  kinds  flourish  exceedingly, 
and  Denver  markets  are  never  without  them. 


Railroads. 


The  history  of  the  railroads  of  Colorado  is  almost  the 
history  of  the  State,  and  to  give  that  is  not  the  purpose 
of  this  review,  which  is  intended  to  show  only  the  pres- 
ent growth  and  future  prospects  of  the  great  systems  of 
railways  that  have  made  Colorado  an  empire  and  built  a 
city  at  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  which  is  the 
marvel  of  mankind.  The  railroads  of  Colorado,  whether 
built  by  local  enterprise  and  capital  or  extended  from  the 
East  across  the  intervening  and  almost  uninhabitable 
places,  stand  to-day  as  the  criterion  of  Colorado's  great- 
ness and  the  guaranty  of  her  material  worth.  Their  iron 
trails  have  stretched  across  the  wide  plains  and  wound 
their  tortuous  ways  through  all  the  dark  defiles  and 
gloomy  canons  of  her  eternal  mountains,  distributing 
her  hidden  wealth  among  all  nations  of  the  world. 

Ground  was  broken  for  the  first  railroad  in  Colorado 
May  18,  1868,  on  the  old  Denver  Pacific,  now  a  part  of 
the  Union  Pacific,  and  to-day  the  State  contains  nearly 


View  on  Lawrence  Street,  from  Fifteenth  Street. 


II 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


5,000  miles  of  track,  with  hundreds  more  under  con- 
struction. The  end  will  not  be  reached  until  every  valley 
in  the  State  shall  be  accessible  to  the  iron  horse. 

Colorado  to-day  has  eight  main  lines  of  railroad 
which,  with  their  branches,  aggregate  4,503  miles  within 
the  State,  as  follows: 

ROAD.  MILES- 

Union  Pacific  .....................  :>272 

Denver  S:  Rio  Grande   .................  I>546 

Santa  l-'e  .......................  4*3 

Denver.  Texas  ft  Fort  Worth  ..............  253 

Burlington  ......................  4^3 

Colorado  Midland    ...................  253 

Missouri  Pacific    ...................  !75 

Rock  Island    ....................  l68 

Total  ......................    4,5<>3 

There  are  also  forty-six  miles  of  the  Rio  Grande 
Western  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  which  makes  a 
gratid  total  of  4.549  miles  of  track. 


Strictly  (Lolorads 


THE  DEXVKR    S:    RIO   GRANDE   R.    R.,    "THE   SCENIC   LINE 
OF   THE   WORLD." 

The  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  Railway  is  in  every  essen- 
tial a  Colorado  enterprise,  and  Colorado  is  indebted  to  it 
for  a  great  part  of  its  prosperity.  It  has  been  the  aim  of 
this  railway  to  reach  all  the  mining  districts  and  other 
centers  of  industry  within  the  field  of  its  operations. 
From  its  main  line,  north  and  south,  it  has  deflected  to 
the  west  and  south-west  with  its  numerous  branches  until 


it  has  extended  itself  like  a  fan  over  these  portions  of  the 
State.  The  northern  extremity  of  the  Rio  Grande  is 
Denver,  and  the  southern  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico.  \Vest- 
ward,  it  extends  ria  Salt  Lake  to  Ogden,  where  it  con- 
nects with  the  great  railway  lines  of  the  Pacific  slopi". 
liy  its  various  extensions  its  main  stem  is  connected  witn 
Leadville,  Glenwood  Springs  and  Aspen,  Guiitiison, 
Grand  Junction  and  Ouray,  Lake  City,  Alamosa,  Duran- 
go  and  Silverton,  and  many  other  representative  towns 
in  the  agricultural  and  coal  and  mineral  mining  regions 
of  the  State.  The  company  is  now  engaged  in  broad 
guagiug  its  line  through  the  Grand  Canon  of  the  Arkan- 
sas, and  canons  of  the  Grand  and  Eagle  rivers,  and  when 
completed  will  run  through  broad-guage  trains  to  Salt 
Lake  and  Ogden  via  Leadville  and  Glenwood  Springs, 
and  will  have  through  car  service  with  the  Burlington, 
Missouri  Pacific  and  Rock  Island  Railroads.  This  line 
offers  the  tourist  more  of  scenic  attraction  by  way  of 
mountain  passes  and  canons  than  any  other  line  in  the 
world,  and  the  new  line  now  being  built  for  the  broader 
gnage  will  pass  through  a  country  equally  as  attractive 
as  that  which  gave  the  old  line  its  world  wide  reputation 
of  "The  Scenic  Line  of  the  World." 

THE   COLORADO    MIDLAND. 

The  Colorado  Midland  Railway  is  a  local  enterprise. 
Starting  from  Colorado  Springs  westward,  coursing  its 
way  through  the  rugged  mountains,  passing  under  the 
brow  of  the  famous  Pike's  Peak,  thence  running  west- 
ward to  Leadville  and  Aspen,  it  crosses  the  Continental 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


Divide  and  drops  down  into  the  great  coal  fields  of  Gar- 
field  county,  of  which  Glenwood  Springs  is  the  capital. 
Its  traffic  is  confined  mainly  to  the  coal  and  mineral  mining 
industries  of  the  sections  above  named,  but  with  the  early 
completion  of  the  Grand  Junction  Railway,  arrange- 
ments will  no  doubt  be  made  by  which  the  trains  of  this 
road  will  run  through  to  Salt  Lake  and  Ogden. 

With  the  exception  of  the  Rio  Grand  and  the  Mid- 
land, the  mileage  of  the  roads  as  enumerated  above  con- 
stitute but  a  very  small  proportion  of  their  total  mileage. 
It  is  estimated  by  competent  railroad  men  that  the  roads 
entering  Denver  embrace  a  total  mileage  of  28,400  miles. 
In  other  words,  Denver  in  1890  has  that  number  of  miles 
of  road  directly  tributary  to  her  commercial  demands. 
This  mileage  may  be  approximated  as  follows: 

MILES. 

Union  Pacific 7,ooo 

Santa  Fe 7,°°° 

Missouri  Pacific 4,°oo 

Rock  Island 4,000 

Burlington 3,ooo 

Pan-Handle  Route     1,500 

Rio  Grande 1,600 

Midland 3°° 

Total • 28,400 


And  the  railroad  business  does  not  stop  here;  for 
hundreds  of  miles  are  now  building  forming  branches  to 
those  already  in  operation,  and  1890  will  see  a  vast  in- 
crease in  mileage  over  1889. 

(Colorado's  dlimate. 

Colorado  is  not  unknown  for  her  sunny  and  health 
giving  climate,  and  although  so  much  has  been  said  and 
written  in  regard  to  the  subject,  we  feel  that  too  much 
can  not  be  said  in  its  favor.  Often  has  she  been  com- 
pared to  Italy,  and  even  far-famed  Italy  can  not  boast 
with  truthfulness  of  such  a  sun-shiny  and  health-giving 
climate  as  Colorado.  Situated  at  about  the  same  parallel 
of  latitude  as  Washington,  Colorado  has  the  benefit  of 
the  warm  Southern  sun  throughout  the  winter,  while 
during  the  summer  its  fierce  rays  are  tempered  by  the 
high  altitude  and  ever  present  breezes  from  the  snow- 
capped mountains  The  table  given  below  is  an  extract 
from  the  meteorological  summary  for  the  year  ending 
December  31,  1889,  showing  the  temperature  and  aver- 
age cloudiness  for  the  year: 


DENVER,    COLORADO. 


MONTHS. 

TEMPERATURE. 

Mean  Temperature. 

6  a.  m. 

6  p  m. 

Number  of  Days. 

Month- 
ly. 

Below 

14° 

Below 
32° 

Above 

4i° 

Above 

50° 

Above 
59° 

Al>ove 
6S° 

Above 

Above 

90° 

16.4 
22.4 
32.1 

31.2 
34.9 
51.2 
58.0 
61.5 
70.2 

79-9 
70.  i 
68.0 
58.1 
34-0 
42-5 

27.2 
29.6 
43-3 
51.' 

55-5 
64.3 
72.0 
72.8 
60.0 
51.8 
32-4 
40.5 

O 

4 

0 

o 

0 

o 
o 
o 
o 

0 
0 

o 
4 

28 
16 

0 

.     I 
o 

0 

o 

0 

o 

13 

4 

o 

17 
25 
27 
29 

31 

31 
30 
27 
4 
17 

o 
o 
o 

2 
II 

"9 

29 

3! 
16 
8 

0 
2 

0 

o 
o 

2 
II 

>9 
29 

31 
16 
fi 

0 

o 

o 
o 
o 
o 
o 
9 

24 

25 

o 
o 
o 

0 
0 

o 
o 

0 

o 
4 

2 
0 
O 
O 

o 

0 

o 
o 

o 
o 
o 
o 
o 
o 
o 

0 

o 

March                           

41.7 
46.6 
54.6 
61.2 
59-4 
47-1 
30.8 
25-7 
33-4 

May                                            

Tulv 

November    ...       
December    

63 

239 

IIS 

116 

61 

6 

0 

Annual  Means  

40.0 

55-7 

50.0 

1 

The  State  affords  great  variety  of  climate  and  one 
must  not  judge  of  the  entire  State  by  reports  on  one  city 
or  location.  For  instance,  some  time  since,  while  the 
writer  was  visiting  in  New  England,  the  papers  there 
were  filled  with  an  account  of  terrible  loss  of  life  in  a 
fierce  snow  storm  in  Colorado.  The  dispatch  was  dated 
at  Denver  and  a  gentleman  totally  ignorant  of  the  coun- 
try, remarked  that  he  pitied  people  who  were  forced  to 
live  in  such  an  arctic  climate  as  Denver's  must  be  in 
winter.  The  fact  of  the  matter  was,  that  in  the  moun- 


tains some  300  miles  from  Denver,  and  at  least  7,000  feet 
higher  elevation,  a  stage  in  crossing  the  range  was 
caught  in  a  terrible  snow  storm  and  the  passengers  were 
frozen  to  death.  While  at  the  same  time  the  writer 
knows  that  at  the  city  of  Denver  there  was  not  a  particle 
of  snow  on  the  ground  and  the  street  sprinklers  were 
running  to  keep  down  the  dust.  One  great  advantage  to 
the  invalid  in  Colorado  is  the  variety  of  climate.  As  the 
summer  grows  warmer,  one  can  by  a  short  ride  in  the 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


MONTHS. 

TEMPERATURE. 

Average  Cloudless, 
(o  to  10) 

No.  of  Calms. 

NUMBER 

OF  DAYS. 

From  Self-  Registering  Instmts.,  (set  daily  at  8  p.  m.) 

£ 

E 

•3 

i 
<j 

>. 

I 

O 
>> 

ea 
£ 

>1 

"U 

o 

i 

to 
o 

X 
h 
V 

•c 

§ 

A 

i 

3 

Date. 

Mean 
Max. 

Mean 
Min. 

Range. 

No.  of  Days. 

| 

1 

< 

si 

Si 

z-* 

ft 

II 

!o 

20 
3 
o 
o 
o 

0 

I 

2 

3 

io 

•°R 
3* 
I-2 

% 

s£ 

g« 

6  a.  m. 

6  p.  m. 

Mean 
b 

26 
17 
23 
30 
1-10-17 
9 
3 

22 
25 
30 
5 
30 

40-3 
42.0 
56.3 
62.5 
67.0 
77-3 
85-9 
87.7 
74-9 
65.4 
43-5 
52.5 

14.0 
17.3 
30.3 
39-7 
44.0 
51.3 
58.2 
57.8 
45.0 
38.1 
21.4 
28.5 

52 
68 
52 
49 
5i 
55 
50 
52 
64 
60 
57 
62 

26.3 
24-7 
26.1 

22.8 
2|.0 
26.O 
27.6 
29.8 
29.9 
27-3 
22.1 
24.0 

8 
6 
o 
i 
o 
o 
o 
o 
o 
o 

5 
i 

0 
0 

o 
o 

° 

II 

10 

3 

o 
o 

0 

I 

2 

3 
4 

1 

9 
10 
II 

12 

2.7 
4.0 
3-3 

til 

:i 

3-5 
2.9 
4-0 

3'2 
3-6 

3-8 
4.6 
6.0 
6.6 
7-3 
6.4 
5-0 
5.9 
3.6 
5-0 

2.2 
2.1 

3.2 

4-3 
4.6 
5.8 
6.6 
4.6 
4.7 
5.3 
3-9 
4-6 

a 

2 

3 

I 
o 
II 
7 
S 
o 

0 

o 

I 
3 

14 

4 
3 
4 
I 

6 

6 
9 
9 

'1 

II 

19 

% 
18 

22 

'9 

18 

'5 
n 
18 

6 

5 
3 

10 

13 

6 
4 

i 

6 
5 

8 
6 
4 

10 
12 
12 

10 
6 
6 

6 

3 

o 
o 
o 
I 
4 
7 

6 

i 
o 
o 

0 

March 

April      

May 

July               

62.9 

35-7 

25-8 

i 

33 

82 

214 

69 

9° 

2.? 

I 

3-7 

4-9 

4-7 

B.— Mean  of  the  averages. 

cars,  reach  a  spot  a  little  higher  up  and  sheltered  in  the 
mountains  where  the  air  is  always  cool  hui  never  ex- 
tremely cold.  Or  if  the  sudden  changes  of  winter  are 
too  severe,  a  lower  altitude  can  be  found,  within  a  half 
day's  journey  in  palace  cars,  where  the  grass  is  green 
almost  the  year  round.  Denver  has  mild  weather  the 
year  round,  but  enough  of  variety  to  purge  the  air  of 


infectious  disease  and  to  keep  the  blood  moving  freely 
in  the  veins.  No  summer  night  is  comfortable  without 
blanket  coverings  on  one's  bed,  while  winter's  days  are 
largely  spent  in  the  open  air  without  extra  covering  than 
an  ordinary  business  coat.  Invalids  ride  in  the  open  air 
the  year  round  and  parasols  are  the  companions  to  ladies 
in  their  winter  afternoon  rides. 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


The  moderate  temperature  (neither  cold  in  winter  nor 
hot  in  summer),  dry  atmosphere,  high  altitude  and  light 
winds,  make  the  climate  most  healthy.  The  following 
table  from  the  report  of  the  Health  Department  of  the 


City  of  Denver,  showing  the  mortality  for  1889,  with 
causes,  etc.,  will  be  interesting  when  the  population  of 
150,000  is  taken  into  consideration: 


! 

DEATHS  BY 
SEXES.     '     MALES. 

FEMALES. 

a 

s 

CONSUMPTION'. 

s 

1 

& 

8 

MONTHS.         jj] 

jj 

•- 

CO 

2 

0 

1 

|o 

.: 

0 
•o 

1 

•3     •    S. 

E 

o 

'£ 

1      I 

en    . 

o 
i 

1 

i 

1            -0 

a.        < 

1 

'9, 

3 

< 

a 

i 

-                     Q 
•J)                   < 

|5 

I1 

c3 

3° 

M 

ta 

January  .   .           156       100         56         68         32 

31 

25       5 

3 

28 

19 

I 

ft 

February    .   .       130         7$         52         53         25 

33 

19        2        7 

31 

23 

2 

6 

March   ....       114         85         29         68         17 

13 

16        i        o 

2O 

19 

O 

i 

April    ....       112         61 

Si          43          18 

20 

I 

4        32 

28 

3 

May    141 

94          47          59         35 

22 

25        5 

8        28 

28 

0 

o 

June  .                    137         77         60         34         4^ 

IQ 

J.I           O 

12           14 

July    ....           155         on          <;fi         AX          zt 

11 

28  i     ° 

7        iS 

17 

3 

August    .    .           158- 
September  .  .       178 
October  .   .   .       187 
November  .   .       177 
December   .  .       167 

§4 

III 
1:8 

112 
113 

74          56 
67          78 
69          78 
65          67 
54          8. 

28 

33 
4<J 
45 
32 

28 

34 

i 

46        6 
33        5 

37        ' 
33        2 
18        3 

6        34 
4        34 
7        32 

1  / 

19 

13 
24 
20 
26 

O 

4 
O 
0 

6 
3 
6 
M 
6 

Totals.   .  ;i,  812    [,132       6So       733       399 

339 

34'      34 

71      3'3 

247 

9 

57 

The 


ditu. 


Denver  has  very  properly  been  termed  the  "Queen 
City,"  for,  as  a  beautiful  queen  sits  upon  her  jeweled 
throne,  receiving  honor  and  tribute  from  her  subjects, 


ruling  them  injustice  and  without  prejudice,  so  Denver, 
the  most  beautiful  city  of  the  West,  from  her  lofty  and 
jewel  studded  throne,  receives  tribute  from  her  Western 
sisters,  ruling  them  without  prejudice  and  receiving  honor 
and  praise  from  all  mankind.  The  "Queen"  is  undoubt- 


10 


DENVER,    COLORADO. 


edly  beautiful  in  all  that  goes  to  make  up  a  city's  beauty. 
Wide  streets  and  avenues,  shaded  by  verdant  trees,  and 
lighted  by  electricity  at  night,  palatial  residences,  mag- 
nificent public  buildings  and  elegant  business  blocks. 
Her  throne,  the  greatest  range  of  mountains  on  the 
American  continent,  lifts  her  5,196  feet  above  the  sea, 
while  it  is  studded  with  millions  on  millions  of  wealth  in 
gold  and  silver.  Tribute  is  paid  her  in  the  thousands,  aye, 
millions  of  dollars  which  have  flowed  into  her  coffers 
from  all  parts  of  the  country.  She  rules  without  preju- 
dice in  that  she  is  always  willing  to  lend  her  assistance 
to  her  weaker  sisters,  and  she  is  praised  by  all  men  for 
her  many  virtues. 

Denver  is  well  and  systematically  laid  out.  On  the 
original  plat,  or  Congressional  grant,  the  streets  were 
surveyed  north-west  and  south-east,  with  intersecting 
streets  south-west  and  north-east.  As  the  city  grew, 
however,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  lay  out  the  new  ad- 
ditions north  and  south,  and  east  and  west,  so  that  to-day 
the  larger  portion  of  the  streets  run  in  those  directions. 
The  principal  business  streets  are  Fifteenth,  Sixteenth 
and  Seventeenth,  running  north-west  and  south-east,  and 
Wazee,  Blake,  Market,  Larimer,  Lawrence,  Arapahoe, 
Curtis  and  Champa,  running  north-east  and  south-west. 
The  wholesale  business  is  confined  to  those  streets  north 
and  the  retail  south  of  Larimer  street.  Sixteenth  street 
is  the  principal  retail  street.  No  city  west  of  Chicago 
can  equal  Denver  in  the  size  and  elegance  of  her  retail 
stores.  Even  Sin  Francisco,  that  city  famed  for  her  ele- 


gant shops,  must  concede  to  Denver  the  precedence. 
Here  is  the  shopper's  paradise.  Fabrics  of  all  kinds, 
from  the  cheapest  to  the  most  expensive,  are  displayed  in 
profusion.  In  the  wholesale  districts  are  found  immense 
establishments:  grocers,  agricultural  implement  dealers, 
hardware  merchants,  mining  machinery  houses,  dry  and 
fancy  goods  dealers,  and  almost  all  other  lines  are  repre- 
sented. The  residence  portions  of  the  city  begin  on  the 
north  with  the  Platte  river,  west  with  Fourteenth  street, 
south  with  Stout  street,  and  east  with  Eighteenth  street. 
Of  course  these  boundaries  are  changing  as  the  city 
grows,  and  each  year  sees  the  business  streets  encroach- 
ing more  and  more  upon  those  of  the  residence  portion. 


"Public  Buildings. 


Denver  takes  pride  in  her  public  buildings.  The  new 
post  office  and  Government  building  now  Hearing  com- 
pletion, on  the  corner  of  Arapahoe  and  Sixteenth  streets, 
is  an  imposing  structure  of  gray  sandstone.  The  new 
State  Capitol  building,  standing  on  Capitol  Hill,  at  the 
junction  of  Colfax  Avenue  and  Broadway,  is  fast  assum- 
ing shape.  It  will  cost,  when  completed,  over  ji,ooo, coo. 
Built  of  fine  Colorado  granite,  its  massive  proportions 
loom  up  as  a  land  mark  for  miles  around.  Its  dimen- 
sions are:  Length,  383  feet  n  inches;  width  at  centre, 
313  feet  10  inches.  There  will  be  160  rooms  in  all.  The 
Arapahoe  county  court  house,  occupying  the  square  be- 
tween Fifteenth  and  Sixteenth  streets,  and  Tremont  street 
and  Court  Place,  is  one  of  the  finest  public  buildings  in 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


the  city.  Standing  in  the  center  of  green  lawns,  it 
looms  up  168  feet  to  the  top  of  the  figure  on  the  dome- 
The  extreme  length  is  220  feet;  extreme  width  98  feet. 
The  material  used  is  Morrison  red  stone  and  Canon  City 
gray  stone.  From  the  dome  may  be  obtained  a  very  fine 
view  of  the  surrounding  city  and  country.  The  key  is 
obtainable  from  the  janitor,  who  is  always  in  the  building. 
The  City  Hall  is  another  fine  edifice  on  Larimer  street, 
at  the  foot  of  Fourteenth  street.  The  building  cost 
$190,000,  and  has  a  frontage  of  100  feet  on  Larimer  street, 
and  225  feet  on  Fourteenth  street.  The  rear  is  used  as  a 
police  and  fire  departi'ient  headquarters. 

The  U.  S.  Branch  Mint,  on  Market  street,  corner  Six- 
teenth street,  is  the  only  public  building  in  Denver  to 
bring  shame  upon  the  city.  Although  Denver  is  in  the 
heart  of  the  gold  and  silver  country,  yet  this  antiquated 
and  much  painted  building  is  used  simply  as  an  assay 
and  purchasing  office,  no  coining  being  done  here. 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  Board  of  Trade  build- 
ing on  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  and  Lawrence  streets, 
is  a  handsome  four  story  structure  of  lava  and  red  sand- 
stone. The  Chamber  of  Commerce,  as  an  organization, 
dates  back  to  January,  1884.  There  had  been  various 
"boards"  previous  to  that  time,  the  first  being  formed  in 
November,  1867,  and  to  this  body  was  assigned  the  task 
of  connecting  Denver  with  the  outside  world  by  railroad) 
which  it  accomplished  in  1870.  In  1880  a  new  "  Board 
of  Trade"  was  organized  to  further  the  mercantile  inter- 
ests of  the  growing  city.  This  board  was  incorporated 


in  February,  1881.  In  the  latter  part  of  1883  a  movement 
was  set  on  foot  to  organize  a  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and 
this  was  effected  in  January  of  1884,  and  in  March  of  the 
same  year  the  two — the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  the 
Board  of  Trade — were  united  into  one  body.  Since  that 
time  this  body  has  been  very  active  in  furthering  the 
City's  interests. 

Another  prominent  and  very  strong  organization  is  the 
Real  Estate  Exqhauge,  composed  of  the  leading  real 
estate  men  of  the  city.  This  organization  is  ever  ready 
to  join  hands  with  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  the 
citizens  of  Denver  in  anything  to  further  the  City's  wel- 
fare. The  Exchange  has  a  fine  hall  in  the  Lewis  block 
on  Arapahoe  street,  where  its  daily  meetings  are  held. 

The  Colorado  Mining  Stock  Exchange  is  Denver's 
youngest  enterprise.  It  has  several  hundred  members, 
mostly  old  mining  men,  and  has,  since  its  organization 
in  the  Fall  of  1889,  been  a  very  active  factor  in  pushing 
Colorado's  mines  to  the  front.  At  present  the  Exchange 
is  using  the  large  hall  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  for 
its  meetings,  but  active  steps  have  been  taken  for  the 
erection  of  a  special  building  for  its  occupancy,  and 
before  another  year  it  will  own  as  handsome  a  building 
as  any  in  the  city. 

(Ln.u.rcHes  and  ,£lnstitu.lioris  of  .^earning. 

Denver  has  mor-  than  seventy  churches  representing 
all  denominations.  Within  the  last  year  several  elegant 
structures  have  been  completed  and  others  started. 


DENVER,    COLORADO. 


Among  these  the  Trinity  M.  E.,  the  Christ  M.  E.,  the 
Central  Presbyterian  and  the  I'nity  churches,  and  St. 
Mary's  Cathedral  take  the  lead.  Denver's  pulpits  are 
occupied  by  able  and  brilliant  men  and  the  congregations 
are  large. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  has  just  com- 
pleted a  most  successful  year.  No  city  in  the  country  of 
150,000  people  has  a  larger  or  more  active  organization. 
The  present  membership  is  1,221.  They  have  a  good 
gymnasium,  library  and  reading  room  and  conduct  eve- 
ning classes  for  the  benefit  of  young  men  who  are 
employed  during  the  day.  Their  lecture  courses  are 
popular  and  through  their  various  agencies  they  are 
enabled  to  do  a  great  deal  for  the  young  men  of  the  city. 
Fifty-eight  thousand  dollars  have  been  subscribed  towards 
a  new  building  to  cost  $200,000. 

The  pride  of  Denver  is  her  public  schools.  Not  only 
has  she  an  excellent  system,  but  the  school  buildings 
themselves  are  of  the  latest  patterns  in  all  that  goes  to 
make  them  useful  and  ornamental.  No  city  in  the 
country  can  excel  Denver  in  this  direction.  The  percent- 
age of  improvement  made  in  school  buildings  in  the  last 
five  years  has  been  phenomenal.  New  school  houses 
have  risen  as  if  by  magic,  and  the  high  school  building 
is  palatial.  When  one  compares  these  lofty  modern 
structures  with  the  original  log  school-houses,  which, 
but  a  few  years  since,  were  Denver's  centers  of  learning. 
he  realizes  more  than  ever  how  swift  and  strong  have 
been  her  strides  of  progress,  and  how  great  a  factor  of 
civilization  is  the  public  school. 


Denver  has  also  numerous  private  schools,  academies 
and  institutions  for  the  higher  branches  of  learning. 
Prominent  among  them  are:  The  Denver  University, 
comprising  a  classical  college  course,  English  and  sci- 
entific branches;  a  Normal  training  school,  and  the 
Cbatnberlin  Observatory  (under  construction)  all  under 
one  school  government;  Wolfe  Hall,  a  young  ladies  semi- 
nary; Jarvis  Hall,  a  military  school  for  boys;  the  Baptist 
College;  St.  Mary's  Academy,  for  young  ladies;  the  Lo- 
retto  Convent  (under  construction), and  the  Jesuit  College. 

Banks  and  Banking. 

The  banking  business  of  Denver  has  shared,  with  other 
lines  of  business,  their  wonderful  prosperity.  The  city 
now  has  twenty  one  banking  institutions,  the  princi- 
pal are:  The  First  National  Bank,  German  National 
Bank,  Denver  National  Bank,  State  National  Bank,  Colo- 
rado National  Bank,  City  National  Bank,  People's  Na- 
tional Bank,  American  National  Bank,  Commercial 
National  Bank,  Union  Bank,  Mclntosh  &  Mygatt,  R.  H. 
McMann  &  Co  ,  Hayden  &  Dickinson,  Colorado  Savings 
Bank  and  People's  Savings  Bank.  The  Denver  Savings 
Bank,  a  new  institution,  has  been  lately  started  under  the 
auspices  of  prominent  business  men. 

A  never  failing  barometer  of  commercial  activity  is 
found  in  the  bank  clearances.  Taken  by  the  week  the 
exchanges  show  a  steady  gain,  as  compared  with  a  year 
ago,  of  45l2'r,  and  in  no  instance  do  the  weekly  state- 
ments show  a  decrease  from  a  year  ago.  The  aggregate 
for  the  year  is  1194,759,647.20. 


13 


DENVER,   COLORADO. 


CLEARI    KG   BY  MONTHS. 


.MONTHS.                    1887.                        Ksv 

1888. 

January  f 
February    .  .   .   .  • 

March 

7,885,241  57        $ 
7,092,430  01 
0,611,229  39 
0,906,637  46 
0,890,017  23 

O,I22,I1Q  40 

9,  132,  .166  64 
9,878,433  43 
0,040,609  94 
0,812,442  80 
0,002,981   16 
0,214,996  81 

7,589,505  84        $1 

9,508,607  49 
9,  S72,  366  50 
0,486,247  70 
0,920,441  43 
1,194,230  28 
1.366,474  61 

0,689,295    12 

1,145,664  07 
1,281,866  65 
2,804,031  14 
1.923,030  03 

3,072,954  39 
13.965,209  41 

IA<       . 

$  14,466,  167  61 
I3,'99,i76  28 
17,712,903  93 
13,776,500  39 
13,  579,813  06 
I6,338,574  43 
14,222,427  20 
20,178,5^5  32 
15,035,447  92 
17,251,423  53 
20,166,359  65 
18,812,267  88 

*I94,759,647  20 

June    .       ... 
julv  

August  
September  .  .  . 

November  .... 
December  .... 

Totals  ....     $1 
Inc 
Inc 

re'se  over  1888      

.   .    45J4^    .   . 

1 

The  report  made  by  eight  Denver  Banks  (all  obtaina- 
ble at  time  of  writing)  to  the  Comptroller  of  Currency, 
in  December,  1889,  makes  a  splendid  showing  of  the 
solidity  of  her  financial  institutions.  Compared  to  a  year 
ago  they  show  an  increase  of  $ 801,839  'n  capital  and  sur- 
plus, $4,100,871  in  deposits,  $2,648,497  in  "cash  and  ex- 
change, and  $1,084,883  in  loans  and  deposits. 

The  statements  were  as  follows: 

CAPITAL   AND   SURPLUS. 

First  National $  736,066 

Colorado  National 530,028 

German  National 504,255 

City  National 385,048 

Union 216,431 

State  National 381,606 

Denver  National 462,4^0 

People's  National 321,941 


Total  •   •   • $    3,537,805 

Increase  over  1888 801,839 


DEPOSITS. 

First  National j    4 

Colorado  National 

German  National 3 

City  National .   .'  .  i 

Union 

State  National i 

Denver  National 2 

People's  National 

Total j  ,8 

Increase  over  1888  .   .  x 


444,602 
305,337 
282,888 
481,081 
961,171 

865,953 
320,756 
746,290 

408,078 
100,871 


CASH   AND   EXCHANGE. 
First  National  ..................  f 

Colorado  National   ................ 

German   National    ................ 

City  National  ................. 

Union  .................. 

State  National  ................ 

Denver  National  ................ 

People's   National  ............... 

Total 
Increase  over   1888 


2,035,973 

1,325,334 

1,197,606 

642,506 

404,083 

1,011,219 

1,048,439 
388,721 


$  8,460,88! 
2,648,407 

LOANS   AND   DISCOUNTS. 

First  National   .  .  .  ................  $  2,655,124 

Colorado  National  ................  1,718,063 

German   National   ................  1,774,432 

City  National  ..................  1,012,252 

I'nion  .......................  760,663 

State  National    ..................  1,161,357 

Denver  National  ................  1,442,773 

People's  National  .................  621,093 

Total  ...................  $  12,143,757 

Increase  over  1888  ...............  1,084,883 


14 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


COMPARATIVE  BANK    STATEMENT. 
The  following  table  is  a  comparative  statement  for 
the  past  seven  years: 


YEAR. 

CASH. 

LOANS. 

CAPITAL. 

DEPOSITS. 

Dec.    883 

•  $    4,592,266 

*    4,982,991 

$    1,646,457 

$     8,085,979 

Dec.    884 

4,486,696 

4,603,639 

2,070,076 

7,220,470 

Dec.    88s 

5,249,344 

5,763,489 

2,139,649 

9,089,324 

Dec.    8S6 
Dec.    887 

5,641.565 
5,235,8.3o 

7,399,384 
9,544,557 

2,296,575 
2,357,250 

10,889,715 
12,542,693 

Dec.    888 

5,8:2,474 

II  ,060,8^4 

2,735,966 

14,307,197 

Dec.  1889 

8,460,881 

12,143,751 

3,537,805 

18,408,078 

Three  new  national  banks  have  started  through  the 
year:  The  People's  National,  with  capital  of  $300,000; 
Commercial  National,  with  capi'al  of  $250,000;  and 
American  National,  with  capital  of  $250,000. 

ies. 

The  city  is  rapidly  becoming  the  manufacturing  cen- 
ter of  the  vast  section  lying  between  the  Missouri  and 
the  Pacific  coast  At  the  same  time  the  advantages  it 
possesses  have  not  all  been  secured.  There  is  room  for 
enterprise  in  a  hundred  directions.  The  smallest  novelty 
factory  and  the  largest  rolling  mill  will  find  ample  scope 
and  opportunities  for  establishing  their  plants.  Capital 
held  by  Denver  business  men  has  always  b»eii  ready  to 
come  to  the  aid  of  foreign  manufacturers  desiring  a  loca- 
tion here,  providing  they  offer  a  practical  working  basis. 
This  is  found  to  be  the  case  upon  examination  of  the 
lists  of  officers  and  directors  of  Denver  corporations. 


The  appended  table,  compiled  by  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce  in  March,  1889,  gives  the  statistics  of  the  city's 
manufacturing  interests  up  to  the  begining  of  that  year, 
which  is  reproduced  with  amendments,  additions  and 
comparative  statement: 


KIND  OF   MANUFACTURE. 

NUMHER  OF  ES- 

TABLISHMKNTS. 

NUMBER  OF  EM- 
PLOYES. 

AMOUNT  OF 
WAGKS  I'AID. 

YALrE  OF  PRO- 
DUCT. 

I 

3 
3 
3 

2 

6 
6 
7 

2 

5 
27 

2 

4 
2 
II 

I 
2 

9 

i 
5 
3o 
i 

2 

3 

2 

2 

17 

1 

74 

27 
29 

10 
l6q 
768 
32 
345 
270 
320 
7 
13 
iSs 
276 

86 
218 
14 
17 
9 
8 

'5 

$          2,000 
9-500 
39,920 
28,080 
5,720 
51,140 
15,592 
15i705 

7,200 
152.840 

344,838 
15,922 
275,000 

l8,oco 
126,528 
5,000 
10,200 
123,437 
80,442 
4.56o 
44,78o 
86,227 
9,443 
9,500 
5,080 
6,864 
6,450 

$            6,OOO 
48,800 
113,700 
44.500 
19,800 
135,200 
IIO.OOO 

65,200 
30,600 
1,197,310 
667,570 

29,000 
718,000 
130,000 

3I!,720 

10,500 
28,000 
392,618 
265,350 

56,890 

306,000 
624,670 

53.927 

35,000 
I  j.OOC 

12,580 

1            17,000 

Baking  powder,  extracts,  etc.  . 

Bottling  soda  and  mineral  .  .   . 

Broom  makers  .  
Building  material,  sash,  doors 

Carriages,  wagons,  etc  
Cement  works  

Cigar  manufacturers  
Cloak  and  dress  making  .... 
Coffee  and  spice  mills   

Crackers  and  bread   

15 


View  on  Larimer  Street,  from  Sixteenth  Street. 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


KIND  OF   MANUFACTURE. 

NTMUKR  or  ES-  ! 
.TAULISIIMENTS.  1 

NTMIIEK  OF  KM- 
TI.OVES. 

--    ? 

It 

I* 

",S6o 
66.  £80 
2,295 
362,783 
4.200 
13,480 
56.070 
1.  200 
780 
2.340 
48,640 
9.000 
8.  200 
21,556 
63.585 
500 
5.72° 

62.580 
II  ,000 
71.000 
37,688 
1.452 
17.250 
395.286 

1 

a 

$ 

<  ~ 

;,;o,ooo 
1.706,973 
5,000 
976.855 
28  ,  soo 

53.980 

184.000 

7,500 
5,500 

8.000 
150,35° 
31.000 
38.000 
82,350 
212.600 
3,ooo 
14.000 
49,785 
105,000 
45,000 
106,000 
159,000 

9.122 

35.000 
1.055,000 

4.200 

63,230 

544.485 

5,000 
5,000 
46,330 
40,000 
6,500 

20,000 

3.385 
497.100 

2 
I 
I 
11 

3 

4 
I 

2 
I 
9 
i 
3 

12 

M 

i 

2 

I 

5 

2 
2 

4 

i 

2 
12 

56        < 

87 
IO 
489 
17 

IS 

82 

2 

I 

6 
74 
IS 

16 

24 
119 

10 
10 

118 
16 
94 

'6  ' 

2.5 

461 

Floor  and  sidewalk  tiles  .... 
Foundry  and  machine  shops    . 

Furnace  makers  
Furniture  
Gloves  and  buck  goods    .... 

Harness  and  saddles  ....... 

Lapidaries      
Lead  pipe  and  sheet  lead    .   .   . 

Lithographing  and  electrotyp'g 
Mfg.  stationers  and  binders  .   . 

Marble  and  stone  works  .... 

Mattresses  and  carpet  cleaning 

I 

19 
I 
I 

6 
I 

2 
I 

I 

M 

30 
300 
5 

2 
22 
4 

3 

2 
2 
184 

15,000 
194.005 
700 
1  ,040 
21.463 
2,400 
2,580 
1.300 
480 
122.013 

Mince  meat,  preserves  and  jelly 

Oleomargerine  factory  
Ornamental  plaster  works  .  .   . 
Ornamental  wood  works    .   .   . 

1'aint  and  papur  hanging   .    .    . 

H 

V. 
n 

~ 

6 

M 

•-  * 

:  f. 

£   | 

t.? 

c 

KIND  OF   MAM-FACTTRE. 

a  * 

*  -/: 

"a 

-  o 

y.  _- 

gS 

?•  t 

|1 

2  fs 

^  r 

z 

g 

< 

^ 

Pattern  makers 

Photographers 

Pickles,  vinegar,  etc 

Picture  frames 

Plumbing  and  gas  fitting   .   .   . 

Plumbing  supplies 

Portable  gas  lamps 

Pottery  ware 

Printer's  rollers 

Railroad  shops 

Roofing  supplies 

Rubber  stamps 

Shirt  manufacturers 

Show  cards 

Show  cases 

Soap  works 

Smelting  and  refining 

Stained  glass  works      

Steani  heating 

st<_am  heating  apparatus  .   .   . 

Table  sauce ... 

Tallow 

Taxidermists 

Tents  and  awnings  .... 
Tin.  sheet  iron  ^;  copper  works 

Trunks  and  valises 

Umbrellas 

Washing  Machines 

Whims".  . 


Total 


153 

70 


$        2,080 

30,895 

27,300 

3,060 

102,429 


>        2.500 

123.334 

165.000 

25,800 

524.380 

128,961 

5,000 

12,000 

3,600 

5,000 

5,600 
25.000 

6,500* 

25.000- 

262.556 

16,448.840 

24,000 

,-,7.920 

5,000 
14,400 

5.457 

5,000 

I3»,i«5 

307,980 

65,532 

63,230 

3,500 

14,400 


j  8,409     |  5-829,348  '   ?  30,333.360 


3  ',500 

1.404.070 

i     i 

900 

-     3 

1,  860 

2  I   3° 

12,000 

2  !  .  .  . 

i  '   18 

10,000 

54 

35.650 

Si6 

816,420 

I     q 

6,000 

I     18 

7,420 

l     3 

I       2 

936 

1     6 

2      3 

3,SIO 

1.872 

3    ,,7 

21  .497 

17   130 

93,048 

2    17 

1  1  ,  928 

I    30 

15,000 

I      2 

1,560 

I     3 

2,340 

The  estimated  increase  of  the  past  year  over  iSSS,  are 
detailed  in  the  summary  below.     The  figures  are  based 


10 


People*'  National  Bank. 


DENVER,    COLO   ADO. 


on  careful  calculations  on  data  obtained  from  reliable 
sources,  and  present  a  conservative  statement  of  the  ex- 
isting manufacturing  interests  of  Denver: 


1888. 

1SS9. 

INCREASE. 
PER   CENT. 

Number  of  establishm'ts  . 
Number  men  employed  . 

398 
8,409 
$  5,829,348 

497 
",352 
$  7,869  63° 

25  per  cent. 
35  per  cent. 

Value  of  product  

30,333,360 

40,453,269 

36  per  cent. 

*  Average  rate  a  little  higher  than  in  1888. 

In  round  numbers  too  new  firms  employ  3,000  hands, 
pay  out  in  wages  more  than  $2,000,000,  and  exceed  a  pro- 
duct of  $  10,000,000. 

The  value  of  work  done  in  railroad  shops  not  enter- 
ing directly  into  the  manufacturing  market  is  not  included 
in  this  total.  When  the  Union  Pacific  shops  are  in  op- 
eration there  will  be  an  additional  1,000  men  employed, 
who  will  seek  homes  in  this  city. 

A  large  cotton  mill  will  be  in  operation  inside  of  twelve 
months,  employing  at  least  1,000  operatives. 

The  various  factories  give  evidence  of  steady  prosper- 
ity, and  orders  are  flooding  them  with  work.  Yet  there 
is  plenty  of  room  for  more.  Large  enterprises  should 
and  will  continue  to  come  to  Denver.  Manufacturing  is 
a  sure  foundation  of  a  lasting  city,  and  wealth  has  always 
been  with  it. 


Denver's  Sewerage  System. 

Denver  is  now  possessed  of  a  sewerage  system  that 
would  be  a  credit  to  an  older  and  larger  municipality, 
and  when  existing  contracts  have  been  completed,  in  the 
matter  of  sewerage  the  city  will  be  splendidly  supplied. 
There  are  now  in  Denver  28.91  miles  of  sewers,  thor- 
oughly covering  the  business  part  of  the  city,  and  the 
residence  portion  also  a  great  distance  out.  During  the 
past  year  contracts  were  awarded  for  the  laying  of  thirty- 
four  miles  more  of  pipe,  and  much  of  this  work  is  now 
in  progress. 

The  sewerage  of  the  city  is  emptied  into  tlie  Platte 
river  south  of  Thirty-first  street,  and  is  at  once  carried 
away. 

^Denver's  'Water  Supply. 

Denver  is  well  provided  with  water  for  its  general  con- 
sumption and  irrigation  purposes.  At  the  pre.ent  time 
one  company  is  depended  upon  for  the  entire  city  supply, 
but  there  is  a  new  corporation  in  the  field,  backed  by 
unlimited  finances,  who  are  now  engaged  in  putting  in 
a  larger  plant. 

The  oldest  concern  is  the  Denver  City  Water  Com- 
pany, a  combination  of  the  Denver  Water  Company  and 
the  Denver  City  Irrigation  and  Water  Company.  This 
amalgamation  was  formed  in  1882  and  has  a  city  contract 
expiring  in  1891. 


17 


DENVER,    COLORADO. 


Last  March  there  was  a  disagreement  among  the 
stockholders,  and  some  of  the  financially  strongest  with- 
drew and  incorporated  the  Citizens'  Water  Company, 
with  an  authorized  capital  of  $3,000,000.  They  have 
completed  cribs  and  galleries  at  the  mouth  of  the  Platte 
canon,  where  their  source  of  supply  is  located,  and  under 
the  efficient  direction  of  W.  D.  Allen,  superintending 
engineer,  are  laying  pipes  extensively  throughout  the 
city. 

In  addition  to  these  large  corporations,  there  are  the 
Beaver  Brook  Water  Company,  which  so  effectively  sup- 
plies the  town  of  Highlands,  and  a  part  of  North  Denver; 
and  the  South  Denver  Water  Company.  There  arestill  smal- 
ler private  concerns,  many  ditch  companies  and  the  like, 
which  supply  the  outlying  additions  with  irrigation  water. 
While  in  the  past  there  may  have  been  complaints  as  to 
the  character  of  the  service  furnished  to  the  citizens  of 
Denver  in  this  respect,  still  the  future  promises  sharp 
competition  between  two  financially  strong  concerns, 
which,  with  the  improvements  promised  by  others,  will 
give  employment  to  many  laborers  next  spring  and  sum- 
mer, and  result  in  great  benefit  to  the  city. 

Street  Transportation.. 

Denver  can  equal  any  city  in  the  country  in  street  car 
lines.  There  are  now  in  operation,  besides  the  extensive 
horse  car  lines,  two  cable  companies  and  three  electric 
roads. 


THE  DENVER  CITY  CABLE  SYSTEM 

The  Denver  City  Cable  Railway  Company  owns  and 
operates  fifteen  miles  of  double  track  cable  road.  This 
is  divided  into  three  distinct  lines. 

One  operates  from  Fortieth  street  on  Larimer  to  the 
Platte  river  and  on  West  Colfax  avenue  to  Sloan's  lake. 
A  second  operates  from  the  Union  depot  on  Sixteenth 
street  to  Welton,  and  on  Welton  to  Thirtieth,  Thirtieth 
to  Gay  lord  and  Gay  lord  to  Thiity-eighth  street.  The 
third  operates  from  Colorado  avenue  in  North  Denver  to 
the  City  Park,  traversing  Goss  street,  Sixteenth  street 
and  by  Court  Place  to  and  the  entire  length  of  Seven- 
teenth avenue. 

THK   TRAMWAY   SYSTEM. 

The  Denver  Tramway  Company's  system  of  eight 
miles  of  double  track,  includes  three  distinct  lines  also. 
One  runs  from  Gallup  avenue  to  Fifteenth  street,  on 
Fifteenth  street  to  Broadway  and  on  Broadway  to  Ala- 
meda  avenue. 

A  second  operates  over  the  same  trackage  west  of 
Broadway  and  from  that  thoroughfare  eastward  on  Colfax 
avenue  to  a  point  parallel  with  the  City  Park,  to  which 
a  loop  in  the  track  runs. 

The  third  operates  on  the  same  trackage  east  of  Tre- 
ruont,  then  on  Tremont  to  Eighteenth  avenue,  on  Eigh- 
teenth to  Huinboldt,  and  on  Humboldt  to  Twenty -second 
avenue,  and  thence  by  a  loop  several  blocks  are  traversed, 
the  line  finally  rejoining  the  main  track. 


]8 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


THE  ELECTRIC  SYSTEMS. 

The  electric  systems  are  owned  and  operated  by  the 
Denver  Tramway  Company,  the  University  Park  Railway 
Company,  the  East  Denver  Electric  Railway  Company, 
and  the  Eastern  Capitol  Hill  Railway  Company.  The 
electric  roads  are  using  the  Sprague  system  of  overhead 
wires  with  the  exception  of  the  East  Capitol  Hill  line, 
which  uses  storage  batteries. 

Denver's  Theatres. 

The  Tabor  Grand  Opera  House,  corner  Sixteenth  and 
Curtis  streets,  has  for  nine  years  been  the  wonder  of  the 
West,  but  1889  was  the  last  of  her  reign  supreme.  The 
Metropolitan  Theatre,  on  the  corner  of  Fifteenth  street 
and  Cleveland  Place,  was  completed  in  the  Fall  of  1889, 
at  a  cost  of  nearly  $95,000,  and  has  proved  a  successful 
rival  attraction  to  the  Tabor.  The  new  Broadway  Thea- 
tre now  building  on  Broadway  and  Eighteenth  avenue, 
will  be  a  magnificent  edifice  and  promises  to  surpass  all 
theatres  in  the  West  in  elegance  of  appointments. 

Denver's  Betels. 

Denver  is  well  supplied  with  hotels,  having  about  fifty 
with  a  total  capacity  of  about  10,000  persons.  The  first- 
class  houses  for  tourists  are  The  Windsor,  The  Albany 
and  The  St.  James;  rates  from  $3.00  to  £4.00  per  day. 
Cheaper  houses  from  (2.00  to  {3.00  per  day — The  Mark- 
ham  and  The  American.  European  plan — The  Henshaw. 
The  new  Hotel  Brown  at  Broadway  and  Seventeenth 


streets,  is  under  construction  and  when  completed  will 
have  300  rooms,  will  be  most  elaborate  in  its  appoint- 
ments and  will  be  one  of  the  finest  hotels  in  the  West. 
This  building  will  be  entirely  fire-proof,  no  wood  enter- 
ing into  its  construction.  Its  cost  will  be,  when  com- 
pleted, $i,  500,000.  A  new  hotel  with  a  capacity  of  100 
rooms  will  soon  be  built  at  the  corner  of  VVazee  and 
Seventeenth  streets. 


enver's  libraries. 


Denver  has  two  free  public  libraries.-  The  Mercantile 
is  in  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  building  and  contains 
15,653  volumes.  The  other  is  the  Public  Library  in  the 
east  wing  of  the  High  School  building.  Besides  these 
there  are  three  large  law  libraries,  viz:  The  Charles,  The 
Symes  and  The  State,  open  to  lawyers  and  others  in  the 
City. 


Real  estate  is  the  barometer  of  a  city's  prosperity. 
By  its  rise  or  fall  an  unerring  judgment  can  be  reached. 
Its  very  name  of  real  implies  the  value  which  is  placed 
upon  it.  In  this  branch  the  record  of  Denver  for  the 
year  that  is  closed  is  one  that  is  unequaled.  No  other 
city  has  approached  it.  The  advance  in  values,  not  prices 
merely,  but  absolute  values,  has  been  enormous,  and 
the  demand  is  constantly  increasing.  It  may  be  said 
with  absolute  truth  that  no  man  has  lost  a  cent  by  buying 
property,  no  matter  in  what  part  of  the  city  he  invested. 
The  fact  is  that  no  judgment  could  be  poor  enough  to  fall 
into  error,  because  there  was  no  error.  Of  course  some 
sections  have  gained  more  than  others. 


19 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


The  year  opened  with  a  feeling  of  confidence  that  has 
proven  to  be  well  grounded.  As  events  have  moved  from 
every  quarter  to  increase  the  sum  of  Denver's  prosperity 
this  confidence  has  become  greater  until  it  is  now  practi- 
cally unbounded.  There  is  not  a  local  capitalist  who  is 
not  constantly  watching  for  a  chance  to  pick  up  choice 
pieces  of  land.  But  without  question  the  most  striking 
feature  of  the  year  has  been  the  influx  of  Eastern  and 
European  capital.  This  has  been  poured  in  by  millions 
and  invested,  not  only  in  lands,  but  in  permanentimprove- 
tnents  of  the  most  costly  nature.  The  sale  of  the  two 
large  breweries  alone  brought  in  about  $2, 000,000,  nearly 
every  cent  of  which  was  invested  by  the  recipients  in  real 
estate.  The  most  satisfactory  points  in  the  year's  record 
are  the  rapid  concentration  of  the  railroad  systems  of  the 
entire  West  in  this  city  and  the  remarkable  growth  of 
manufacturing.  The  former  has  been  brought  about  by 
the  irresistible  force  of  circumstances;  the  latter  is  owing 
to  the  wisdom  of  Denver's  people  and  the  energy  with 
which  they  have  pushed  out  in  every  direc.ion.  Both  of 
these  branches  are  treated  of  separately. 

The  population  of  the  city,  which  was  estimated  ayear 
ago  to  be  about  125,000,  is  now  about  150,000.  During 
no  month  has  the  increase  fallen  below  2,000  persons. 
This  is  in  itself  sufficient  to  account  for  the  building  of 
thousands  of  homes  and  the  stretching  out  of  the  city 
for  miles. 

The  greatest  advance  in  actual  valuation  has  of  course 
been  in  the  business  district,  and  in  the  territory  imme- 


diately around  it.  The  place  of  honor  for  the  greatest 
proportionate  increase  is  contested  between  the  southern 
part  of  the  city  and  the  lands  to  the  west,  which  were 
regarded  as  acre  property  a  year  ago.  The  former  has 
gained  steadily  and  rapidly  the  whole  year;  the  latter 
have  gone  up  with  a  bound  since  the  West  Colfax  cable 
was  assured.  It  is  certainly  one  of  the  cases  where  good 
business  instinct  in  investing  has  brought  a  rich  return. 
The  laud  lay  close  in.  Its  only  defect  was  that  the  Platte 
river  presented  an  obstacle  to  easy  access.  Those  keen 
enough  to  foresee  the  effect  of  the  overcoming  of  this 
obstacle  have  profited.  The  district  to  the  south-west 
has  scarcely  kept  pace  with  its  neighbors  to  the  east  and 
north,  for  the  reason  that  transit  has  been  defective. 
Owners  have  recognized  this  fact,  and  are  now  building 
railways  and  attractive  residences,  which  is  working  a 
revolution  and  bringing  this  district  into  the  prominence 
which  its  nearness  justly  entitles  it.  To  the  east,  stretch- 
ing beyond  thecapitol,  lies  a  magnificent  territory,  which 
has  always  been  regarded  as  choice.  It  is  mostly  in  the 
hands  of  the  wealthiest  firms  of  the  city.  The  great 
independent  system  of  water  works  which  has  just  been 
commenced,  and  the  further  improvement  of  rapid  tran- 
sit lines,  which  is  also  begun,  will  assist  in  maintaining 
this  section  in  its  position. 

When  the  building  of  the  Union  Pacific  shops  was 
announced  near  Swansea,  the  effect  was  electric.  Prices 
have  since  advanced  TOO  per  cent,  and  fortunes  have 
been  made.  The  additio*  of  several  thousand  persons 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


to  the  population  by  the  shops  and  olher  factories  which 
are  to  be  established,  justify  this  advance.  The  building 
of  the  Larimer  and  Welton  street  cable  lines  has  also 
been  an  important  factor.  Of  West  Denver,  North  Den- 
ver, Capitol  Hill,  and  the  heart  of  the  city,  nothing  need 
specially  be  said  excepting  perhaps  of  North  Denver. 
Though  parts  of  it  are  among  the  old  settled  parts  of  the 
city,  it  did  not,  for  a  time  progress  so  rapidly  as  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river.  During  the  past  year  that  has 
been  changed,  and  there  is  no  place  where  more  building 
his  been  done  or  where  a  more  solid  advance  in  values 
has  taken  place.  The  three  older  divisions  named  have, 
of  course,  enjoyed  the  full  benefit  of  the  city's  growth 
for  miles  beyond  them. 

Cable  road  extensions  have  played  an  important  part 
during  the  past  year,  and  will  be  even  more  important 
during  the  year  to  come.  Electric  feeders  have  also 
been  built. 

For  the  past  ten  years  the  amount  of  real  estate  trans- 
ferred reached  the  tremendous  sum  of  $181,319,966.  The 
volume  of  transactions  by  warranty  deed  for  1880  aggre- 
gated $ 5, 638,000,  and  for  1889  the  figures  attained  the 
height  of  $60,392,098.  Compared  to  the  number  of  con- 
veyances the  transfers,  as  a  rule,  show  the  same  relative 
fluctuations  in  volume. 


By  years  the  total  considerations  of  real  estate  trans- 
fers were  as  follows: 

1880  ........................  $  5,638,000 

1881  ........................  6,712,090 

1882  ........................  7,513,660 

1883  ........................  8,508,040 

1884  ........................  5,338,490 

1885  .....................  5,080,083 

1886  ........................  11,021,208 

1887  .......................  29,176,752 

1888  ........................  4'*939,545 

1889  .......................     60,392,098 

Total  transfers,  ten  years  ...........  $181,319,966 

Shov/ing   Recorded   Transfers   by 


3/ContHs  for  1SSQ 


The  recorded  transfers  for  1889  are  given  below.  The 
transactions  are  classified  into  districts,  which  are  de- 
scribed below.  A  careful  study  of  the  table  will  show 
the  fluctuation,  decline  or  increase  in  the  volume  of  bus- 
iness for  any  given  section  throughout  the  year: 


•21 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 

BUSINESS   IN   REAI,   ESTATE   FOR   THE   YEAR   1KS9. 


MONtHS. 

No.  of 
Warranty 
Deeds. 

KAST  SIDE. 

NORTH   SIDE. 

SOUTH  AND 
\VKST  S1DKS. 

ACRKAC.K. 

MISCELLANE- 
OUS— ARAP- 
HOK     COUN- 
TY. 

1889. 

,46S 

;   4,407,565 

$          658,346 

J          518,160 

$          697,381 

$            64,940 

t    6,346,392 

46  J 

4,098,758 

6-50,279 

555,57' 

S76,883 

513,970 

6,375,441 

March                              

,348 

3,487,877 

6"5,282 

805  ,  900 

1,102,335 

49,635 

6,111.029 

Apri             .              

.'44 

3.  197.  "6 

404,713 

494,084 

354,386 

26.IOS 

4,476,407 

Mayl                           

,039 

3,047,034 

269,624 

362,028 

149,441 

45,905 

3,874,032 

999 

2,435,144 

449,028 

493,720 

79.270 

4',  8/3 

3,500,035 

lulv 

94  2 

1,682,018 

49s,  659 

5M,oSi 

214,289 

42,813 

,066 

2,398,525 

353,315 

591,281 

549.631 

48,837 

3,941,589 

,236 

3,490,217 

1.500,612 

1.028,382 

379,921 

124,498 

6,523,630 

,3>« 

2,433,«82 

537,8« 

1,064.784 

464,222 

83.J75 

4.584,029 

,251 

3,330,806 

692,368 

801  ,641 

896,90;  1 

•           92,623 

5.SI4.345 

December   

,533 

3,295,547 

873,UO 

I  ,  116,322 

325,910^ 

83,400 

5,804.309 

Totals  for  1889                       

14,806 

f  37,304,469 

$    7,  533,  «z 

$    8,344,954 

$  5,791,576 

$     1,218,877 

't  60,392,098 

The  East  Side  embraces  all  the  platted  property  lying  south  and  east  of  Platte  river  and  east  and  north  of  Cherry  creek. 
The  North  Side  is  the  district  of  platted  ground  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  Platte  river  and  West  Colfax  Avenue. 
The  South  and  West  Sides  include  all  ttie  platted  ground  lying  south  of  West  Colfax  Avenue  and  south  and  west  of  Cherry  creek. 
Acre  property  means  unplatted  ground  anywhere  in  Arapahoe  county,  and  miscellaneous  property  takes  in  the  platted  property  of  all  the 
towns  in  Arapahoe  county  outside  of  Denver. 

Another  interesting  fact  to  the  investor  in  realty  is 
the  small  percentage  of  trustee  sales  and  foreclosures. 
From  the  records,  the  yearly  number  of  trustee  sales,  or 
foreclosures,  were  as  follows: 


1880. 
1881  . 
1882. 


34 
55 
50 


188}   

88 

1884 

119 

1885 

72 

1886 

74 

188"                  .  . 

106 

1888 

97 

1889.  . 

84 

Total  for  ten  years 779 


•2-2 


View  on  South  Fourteenth  Street,  from  La  VeU  Place. 


DENVER,     COLORADO. 


Five  years  growth  of  Denver  in  clearances,  popula- 
tion, realty  transfers,  loans  and  buildings,  is  as  follows: 


Clearings  .... 
Population  .  .  . 
Realty  transfers 

Loans 

Buildings  .... 


54,ooo 

5.080,083 

3.932,874 

790.980 


Clearings  .  ,  .  . 
Population  .  .  . 
Realty  transfers  . 

Loans  

Buildings   .    .    .    . 


U«6. 


85,668,027 
72.012 

II .021 .2oS 
5,58r,309 
2,OOO,66l 


133,965,209 

91.001 

41.939,545 

15.851.700 

6,049.386 


117,589.505 

80,217 

29,  >?6, 752 

12,046.406 

4,007.050 


1888. 


194,759,64? 
150,000 
60,392,098 
29.234,634 
10,777,17? 


The  building  boom  in  1889  has  been  wonderful,  and 
1890  promises  more  than  ever.  Thousands  of  new  houses 
have  sprung  up  on  what  was,  but  a  short  time  ago,  bar- 
ren plains.  No  city  in  the  west  can  show  more  elegant 
mansions  or  tasty  cottages.  Houses  costing  from  $1,500 
to  $50,000  have  grown  up  all  around.  One  feature  has 
been  the  building  of  numerous  tasty  and  elegant  city 
fclocks  of  houses.  We  give  an  engraving  of  one  of  these 


in  "The  Athelstan,"  designed  by  J.  J.  Huddard,  archi- 
tect, aud  owned  by  R.  A.  Long  and  H.  V.  Johnson. 
What  more  elegant  home  could  be  imagined?  New 
business  blocks  of  from  five  to  nine  stories  have  been 
completed  and  others  are  in  process  of  construction. 

The  Boston,  Masonic  Temple,  Kittredge,  Eruest- 
Cranmer,  Arapahoe.  McPhee,  Railroad,  Pioneer,  People's 
liank,  Broadway  Theatre,  Denver  Athletic  Club,  and 
others,  all  of  which  we  give  engravings,  show  what 
elegance  and  money  has  been  put  into  this  class  of  build- 
ings. The  new  church  edifices,  new  school  buildings 
and  public  halls,  have  also  drawn  large  amounts  into  the 
pockets  of  contractors  and  builders.  Aud  still  the  work 
goes  on.  Architects'  offices  are  full  of  orders.  Contract- 
ors have  many  new  contracts,  aud  the  question  arises, 
when  will  this  stop?  As  one  who  has  lived  in  Denver 
aud  seen  her  wonderful  growth,  knowing  her  immense 
resources  and  the  active  business  men  who  compose  her 
population,  the  writer  can  not  limit  this  progress.  Some 
said  several  years  ago  that  Denver  had  reached  her 
growth,  but  how  little  they  knew.  The  writer  can  only 
say  that  the  future  promises  more  than  the  past  and  in 
his  belief  no  mistakes  can  be  made  in  making  any  in- 
vestment in  Denver  realty;  it  is  bound  to  increase  in 
value  as  the  years  roll  by. 


23 


DENVER,    COLORADO. 


Building  operations  in  Denver  for  ten  years: 

VEAR.  AMOUNT. 

1880.    .    .' *  3,517,362 

iSSl 3.«5,483 

1882 2,838,488 

1883 1,578,995 

1884 1,900,426 

1885 790,980 

,886 2,000,661 

!887 i 4,007,050 

1888 6,049,386 

1KS9 10,777,177 

During  the  year  1889,  nearly  eleven  million  dollars' 
worth  of  new  buildings  were  erected  within  the  fire  limits 
of  Denver.  Estimates,  which  come  from  official  sources, 
place  the  value  of  the  building  operations  in  the  suburbs 
of  the  city  beyond  the  fire  limits,  at  $2,000,000,  or  20  per 
cent,  of  the  building  operations  within  the  fire  limits. 
This  would  make  the  total  building  operations  in  Denver 
and  its  suburbs  at  nearly  $13,000,000  for  the  year.  This 
shows  that  Denver  is  enjoying  a  building  boom  which  is 


by  far  greater  than  the  building  operations  of  such  citie 
as  Kansas  City,  Omaha,  Minneapolis  or  St.  Paul. 

The  following  table,  carefully  compiled  from  the 
Building  Inspector's  books,  shows  the  operations  within 
the  limits  of  the  city  proper: 


January .  . 
February  . 
March  .  . 
April  .  .  . 
May  .... 
June  .  .  . 
July.  .  .  . 
August.  .  . 
September  . 
October  .  . 
November  . 
December  . 


72 


90 

219 

I?6 
219 
23' 
221 

123 

166 


419,000 

434,350 

764.550 

883,650 

1,411,945 

1,329,774 

I ,006,410 

964,906 

1,285,695 

755,385 

5'3,965 

1,007,547 


149 

81 
99 


201 

244 
295 

a6o 

1 66 
263 


9 

5 
'5 
27 
15 


IS 


Totals 1,911       $10,777,177       2,445    >  'So 


If  the  foregoing  pages  have  answered  any  the  of 
questions  which  have  arisen  in  your  mind  as  to  the 
Queen  City  and  her  resources;  if  they  have  .shed  any  of 
the  light  of  knowledge  for  you,  the  task  of  the  author 
has  been  successful.  He  knows  that  his  little  work  is 


far  from  a  literary  perfection  and  he  disclaims  any  pre- 
tensions in  that  direction,  but  he  has  aimed  at  truthful 
statements  of  facts  covering  some  of  the  many  points 
which  are  constantly  arising  in  conversations  with  people 
who  have  never  visited  Denver. 


A.  W.  Chamberlin'a  Residence. 


Hon.  M.  B.  Carpenter's  Residence 


DENVER,  COLORADO. 


Colorado  is  a  terge  field;  Denver  is  an  ever  growing 
city.  There  is  room  in  the  State  for  millions  of  popula- 
tion, and  room  in  Denver  for  thousands  more  than  are 
here  to  diy.  All  will  receive  a  warm  welcome  who 
co  ne  to  visit  either,  and  those  who  come  for  investment 
will  find  large  and  lucrative  opportunities,  while  those 
who  come  for  health,  if  they  delay  not  too  long,  will 
surely  find  strength  and  renewal  of  life  in  this  glorious 
climate.  But  one  word  to  the  invalid:  Don't  put  off  too 
long;  don't  rely  on  the  hope  that  your's  "is  only  a  slight 
affection  of  the  throat,"  or  similar  complaints.  Come 
now  and  grow  strong.  To  the  farmers  we  have  to  offer 
some  of  the  choicest  grain  fields  in  the  world.  Millions 


of  acres  yet  open  for  entry  and  thousands  of  acres 
already  under  ditch,  which  can  be  bought  at  very  low 
prices.  To  the  manufacturer,  we  offer  a  location,  the 
centre  of  a  vast  non-manufacturing  countrv.  A  country 
where  fuel  is  cheaper  than  water  power;  where  the  raw- 
material  is  at  vour  very  doors,  and  where  there  are  thou- 
sands of  laborers  ready  for  employment.  To  the  capi- 
talist we  offer  no  bait  except  in  the  invitatio.n  to  come 
and  visit  us.  We  know  that  all  men  of  means  who 
come  to  Colorado  and  to  Denver,  leave  something  of 
their  riches  here,  invested  in  one  way  or  another.  Come 
now  while  the  State  is  young  and  while  the  city  is  yet 
in  its  first  growth. 


25 


CHAS.   F.   BLACK. 


COMPLIMENTS     OF 


WM      SANDERSO.N 


BLACK     &     SANDERSON, 

The   *    North   ®    Side   *    Real  ®    Estate   *    Brokers. 


w 


2550 


ST. 


The  Spider  Wet>Qf 
roads  which  Denver 
weaving  to  ensnare 

<•»,,, tierce 
Wat 


A/ 


We 

Invest 
for 


and 


Denver  Realty  is  the  Safest,  Surest  an<!  most  Remunerative  Investment  in  the  United  States. 


